The teacher’s words came back to him.Should they have simply fainted, then, as society suggests is the proper ladylike response?
The teacher had never breathed a word of this last night. Protecting Lily from his disapproval.
Was he such an ogre?
No one could blame Lily for resisting molestation. Of course Rose would rush to her sister’s defense. He’d seen how protective she was of her younger sister.
And Rutherfords naturally fought back.
Rose glared at Cal as if it were his fault. “Don’t look at me like that, Cal. Nobody hurts my sister and gets away with it! I’m glad I did it! I showed him!”
“Rose, you cannot beboastingabout this dreadful thing, surely,” Aunt Dottie said, appalled.
“That’s enough, Rose. You’re upsetting your aunt,” Cal said curtly. He resumed his seat. “I think we’ve heard quite enough about this contretemps, girls. Now drink your soup before it gets cold.”
They finished the meal in silence, more or less. Aunt Dottie began to expostulate once or twice, but Cal silenced her with a look.
“There is an excellent play starting at the theater tomorrow night,” Aunt Dottie began when they had finished their meal. “Perhaps—”
“No!” Cal slammed his fist on the table, making them and the cutlery jump. “They broke the rules and they must be punished for it.”
“Oh, but—”
“No, Aunt Dottie. They’re not showing nearly enough regret or repentance for my liking. Rose is almost proud of her disgraceful behavior.” The fact that he was also proud of her was beside the point. She had to learn.
“If I’d been a boy, you would have been proud of me for defending my sister,” Rose muttered.
“But you aren’t a boy,” Cal snapped. “You’re not even a lady!” Aunt Dottie gasped, but Cal went on, “You girls know very well you were in the wrong, sneaking out at night against my express orders. You probably think you have been punished enough, but—”
“Oh, Cal—”
“I must insist, Aunt Dottie. They need to learn their lesson. For the next two weeks they’re not to attend any function—public or private. They’re not to have any outings at all, not even a walk in the park. They shall remain inside the house, and”—he tried to think of what they should do—“and ponder the wages of disobedience. And reckless behavior.”
Rose snorted.
“What?” Goaded, he turned on her.
“You mean we cannot even go to the Pump Room?” She put her hands to her face in mock distress. “Oh, dear, thatwillbe a hardship.”
“Rose,” her aunt began.
“Well, as if we evenwantto go out anywhere, looking like this,” she said scornfully. “You couldn’t make me leave the house if you tried, Brother Dear. Come along, Lily, let’s read the next chapter of our book.”
Cal gritted his teeth. It was a miracle someone hadn’t already strangled Rose.
***
“You shouldn’t provoke him, Rose.” Lily climbed up onto her bed.
Rose made an impatient gesture. “I can’t help it. He rubs me up the wrong way. He hasn’t been near us for years, didn’t even write to us while he was away, and now he comes back throwing his weight around and ordering us about as if—as if we’re soldiers in his horrid command!”
“He is head of the family,” Lily pointed out.
Rose snorted.
“Henry never came near us either and he wasn’t away at war, being shot at all the time.”
“Henry was a lazy selfish pig.”
